Daily Report
Arrivals and Departures:
This week, a decrease in the number of people arriving from Turkey to the Greek shores was observed. While last week, an average of 2,618 people arrived, the figure plummeted this week to 483 people.
On Monday, 202 persons were returned from the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios to Turkey. On Friday morning, a ferry carrying around 45 people left the Greek island of Lesvos for Turkey. Today, an estimated 200 people, from the islands of Kos, Samos and Lesvos, will be returned to Turkey on the basis of the Greek-Turkish readmission agreement with the support of the EU Border Agency, Frontex. There is no indication regarding where those returned today intended to apply for asylum in Greece as of yet. According to Greek authorities, no asylum seekers will be sent back. However, UNHCR is concerned that 13 individuals (including some Afghans) among those returned on Monday had indicated to UNHCR their intention to apply for asylum, but may not have had the opportunity to formally register their intention with local authorities.
Out of the approximately 6,000 people who arrived to the Greek Islands since the 20 March, following the the EU-Turkey, at least 2,870 expressed interest to apply for asylum. The Greek authorities confirmed that they will not be returned as their applications need to be filed and assessed. Consequently, returns will take place at a slower rate than envisaged.
On 7 April, Giorgos Kyritsis, the spokesperson for the Greek Refugee Crisis Management Coordination Body, said in a press statement that the transfer on a voluntary basis of families from Chios to Leros is being examined to “decongest the island”. A ferry departed from Mesta port on Chios carrying 228 on board, mainly of Syrian nationality, who volunteered to participate and will be transferred to Leros. Efforts by police began on Wednesday and are currently ongoing. UNHCR is monitoring the process.
Condition of People:
UNHCR is highly concerned with the condition of people across the crisis-affected countries and monitoring the situation as closely as possible.
Rising tension and distress have been reported across Greece. Over the past week, several protests took place at Eidomeni, Piraeus, on the Thessaloniki-Evzonoi national highway, as well as across the islands. On Chios, UNHCR reports observing noteworthy limitations of asylum claims being processed following registration of intent; both processes are experiencing significant backlog. Due to uncertainty and lack of clarity, tension on the island manifested when 800 people left the vastly overcrowded facility last week which ultimately led to a march into Chios town. Yesterday, on Samos, reportsshow that approximately 200 people left the hotspot and were moving towards the center of Samos where they congregated peacefully. No violence was reported.
In the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 10 people, who were part of a group of people who arrived irregularly on 14 March by crossing a river, do not have access to asylum procedures. The situation is being addressed with authorities at central levels by UNHCR.
1,300 people remain in Serbia following the border closure with Croatia. 533 people are located in the reception center in the south, 108 people in transit accommodation facilities in the west and 222 asylum seekers are waiting to be admitted to Hungarian transit zones at the two border crossings. Croatian officials announced the Winter Reception Transit Center (WRTC) at Slavonski Brod will be closed by 15 April 2016. Therefore, all 96 of those accommodated there will be transferred to the existing permanent facilities for asylum seekers and irregular migrants.